I have a confession to make. I hate going to the dentist. Just the thought of going makes me ill. Part of the problem would have to be that due to being in a state of constant magnesium deficiency (due to a genetic heart condition) I have always had bad teeth no matter how hard I try to take care of them. The other reason would just have to be that I have had some crummy dentist experiences in my life that have led to more than one nightmare.
Having said that, maybe you can understand why I have procrastinated so long in taking my children to have their teeth checked out. I have two children (one will be 4 next month and one will be 3 in the beginning of May) and until this last week they have never gone to the dentist.
With our children being so young (and wiggly) I didn’t think there was a need to take them in yet. That is until I saw some signs of early tooth decay on my sons teeth one night after brushing his teeth. I was shocked. My husband and I have always been careful to make sure that our children eat healthy meals. We limit the amount of sweets they eat (including fruit snacks.) As for drink soda is not allowed, and juice is a rare treat. That’s right in our house we drink mainly water, and vitamin D Milk. In addition to their diet we have made sure that our children’s teeth are brushed every night (since their first tooth popped out.) After briefly freaking out we decided (despite my personal fears) that it was time to take our children to a dentist.
After asking a lot of friends and doing a little looking around, we decided to take our kids to Pediatric Smiles of Orem. Let me tell you how glad I am that we did. The first thing I noticed upon entering their office was how child friendly the place was. My daughter was excited to see a coloring book and crayons on the table; my son was entranced by the fish tank and later the table with the wood train set. It was nice to see them happily distracted while I filled out the official paperwork.
When it came time for us to go back they suggest that I have my daughter (the almost 4 year old) get her teeth cleaned first to show her younger brother everything would be ok. The dental assistant was friendly and patient as she explained to my daughter all the tools she was going to use and what she was going to use. Then a movie was started on a tv mounted on the ceiling so my daughter could watch (and listen thanks to some nifty headphones) while they cleaned her teeth. My daughter was so at ease they had no problem working on her.
When it came time for my son he did great for the cleaning but I knew he would get fussy when they did the exam, but I needn’t have worried. After I voiced my concerns they decided to have his teeth checked out by Dr. Shepherd immediately after his cleaning so he could be in and out as quick as possible and then we would have Dr. Shepherd check out my daughter’s teeth.
Dr. Shepherd and his staff were totally prepared and knew just how to talk and hold my children while doing their job that I was seriously impressed. Unfortunately, both of my children had tooth decay on their teeth (cringe). I had a lot of questions (mainly how could this happen???) Dr. Shepherd was patient and informative and soon I felt much better. He explained that their main goal at Pediatric Smiles was to help parents PREVENT teeth decay in their children so they wont have to come in to get work done. However when work is needed, they always strive for a good experience for parents and children as well as quality work. We talked about my options and then quickly set up a plan of action for both of my children’s teeth.
Next week I get to take my daughter back to have her teeth officially worked on, but with how well they handled my children a few days ago, I am way less stressed then I would otherwise be. My daughter is actually looking forward to going back. Although, this excitement to go back might be due in part with the fact that after the cleaning and exam, my children were each given a balloon and little prize (as well as a tooth brush, tooth paste, and floss.) for good behavior.
If you are looking for a great pediatric dentist (in Utah County) for your children I highly recommend Pediatric Smiles in Orem, Utah. Your children will love them and so will you.
*This is a sponsored post on behalf of Pediatric Smiles, all opinions, thoughts and pictures are my own.
